Homeschooling

As many of you know, we are a homeschool family. We have enjoyed having our babies at home with us (most days) and are just finishing up our first "real" year. Not sure that it was a "real year" but we are counting it!

Homeschooling can cause me a LOT of anxiety. What should our days look like? What curriculum should I use? What about my kids? Will they turn out okay? Should we join the local co-op? WHAT IN THE WORLD should I do with the other kids while we are "doing school"?

I recently read this note from a special friend, who is a bit further down the road. I can NOT tell you what an encouragement this is to me and how much I value her advice! I hope you find it helpful!

My friend writes-
We are gearing up for high school, so I am reaching back a while for some of this, but I can share a few lessons learned (some gathered from my education and experience as a teacher before becoming a mom, but mostly learned the hard way with our children).



First of all, the only specific curriculum I would recommend whole-heartedly for anyone and everyone is Explode the Code (phonics). It can be used along with any other program and is excellently organized. Otherwise, you have to find what fits your situation. Just be honest as you consider your actual, current lifestyle, not the lifestyle you aspire to have.



(1) Pray more than you plan. The Lord's hand of blessing and your walk with Him is more important than your academic choices. Think of homeschooling as a 24/7 discipleship program. The foundation you provide for your children has to be based in your relationship with the Lord, so keep that relationship fresh and growing.



(2) Keep your marriage as your top earthly priority; the man/wife relationship is the most important part of your home and school. Invest in it daily. If your spouse is not your best friend and the one person you’d rather be with than anyone else in the world, then you need to spend some time seeking the Lord and fix that. No curriculum produced will make as much difference in your child’s life than the comfort and example of parents totally committed to the Lord and each other.



(3) Attitudes and behavior matter more than education. Anytime you feel it is necessary- whether your kids are in preschool or precalculus) put school on the back burner and straighten them out. Academics are easier to restore than rebellious hearts.



(4) Choose your curriculum based more on personalities (yours as well as your children's) and lifestyle than on scope and sequence, especially in the early years. If you prefer a school-like atmosphere and are going to stick to a regular schedule, that’s fine. If you’re more likely to want to do hands-on stuff and have a little more freedom, that’s ok, too. If you want a little of both, that is do-able. Just be honest and find what suits YOU, not your friend or neighbor.



(5) Academically, I strongly recommend that you carefully select a math program and commit to it through at least 3rd grade, then if you need to make a change, do it and commit again through 6th grade. For preschool thru 3rd grade, do the same for reading and phonics. The program doesn’t matter as much as the continuity; this way you don’t let anything crucial fall in the gaps.



(6) Include Dad in your homeschooling regularly no matter what his schedule. Make a point of having your little ones share what they are learning with him, whether it's dinner conversation or a weekly show & tell before family movie night. However it happens, he needs to stay up to date and they need to see his interest.



(7) Consistency matters more than content. Make a schedule and make it work for you, but don't be a slave to it. I encourage you to get and use Managers of Their Home and other books from the Maxwell's at titus2.com, but use them as a guide to create what will really work for your family. If it takes honing your plan a dozen times until it’s right for you, it’s worth the investment of time to do just that.



(8) Make chores, personal hygiene, and manners part of your routines. Don't forget music lessons, either. These things will have as much (or maybe more!) to do with real success in life as academics.



(9) Make read-aloud time a priority every day. (My teenagers still love for me to read to them!) This is a great time to read things that are beyond their ability to read by themselves but are within their ability to comprehend. Stop and talk about new words, help them remember details of the story, and ask questions the next day while you’re driving to “test” their comprehension. We started reading chapter books (The Boxcar Children mystery series) during preschool and there are lots of classics you can include that they will remember fondly and want to re-read on their own when they are capable.



(10) Finally, make homeschooling fun for the kids AND for you! If it feels like drudgery, change something. They grow up too fast to spend every day feeling like it’s a burden.



I am certainly not an expert on anything, but I love sharing our journey. It would be my honor to communicate with you if you have any questions or comments about homeschooling, marriage, etc. I also consider it a privilege to pray for those whose paths cross mine, so if you have specific requests, please let me know. Beyond my family, my “favorite” ministry is to young wives and mothers who are walking the paths I have been down. If I can make it easier for you than I had it, then my trials were worth it!



As a homemaker, pastor’s wife, and homeschooling mom, I may not always be able to respond immediately, but I will get back to you as soon as I can.



With joy from Jesus,

Mrs. John (Tracee) Young

jtncmyoung@aol.com